Research
Energy balance
Estrogen regulates mitochondrial function, including biogenesis and respiratory chain activity, and loss of estrogen leads to mitochondrial dysfunction which contributes to insulin resistance.
Estrogen helps your cells produce energy efficiently. After menopause, the drop in estrogen can impair your mitochondria, leading to fatigue and weight gain. This is one reason why metabolic rate slows down after menopause.
GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
E2 appears to modulate various aspects of mitochondrial function, including ATP production, generation of mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial biogenesis, and regulation of calcium concentrations.
Why this rating
Supported by molecular studies and animal models.
Source
Estrogen: An Emerging Regulator of Insulin Action and Mitochondrial Function
Anisha A. Gupte et al. · Journal of Diabetes Research · 2015
DOI 10.1155/2015/916585
narrative_reviewCited 194×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
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- Loss of circulating estrogen (E2) due to menopause causes rapid metabolic changes, including reduced metabolic rate, increased central adiposity, and insulin resistance, primarily mediated by estrogen receptor alpha (ERα).Good
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